Setting the bridal bed (An Chuang)

The an chuang ceremony is done to symbolise good health and bring fortune to the couple and to bless them with lots of children.

When:
It is usually done a few days to 1 week before the customary wedding. An auspicious date and time needs to be chosen for An Chuang. The bed is usually not disturbed till the wedding day itself.

A good fortune woman, one whose husband and children are alive and has many grandchildren will install the bridal bed and make the bed with a new set of bedsheet (red or pink) . After which, the woman or couple will leave on the bed a plate with the following items:

1. 2 oranges
2. Peanuts
3. Dried red dates
4. Dried lotus seeds
5. Dried longans
6. Sweets
7. Dried persimmons
8. A twig of promegranate leave
9. 2 red packets

After setting the bridal bed, the pair of bedside lamps from Dowry will be lit. These lamps are not turned off until the wedding night. If the An Chuang date is too far off from the actual day, the plate of items to be placed on the bed as well as the lamps may be lit on the actual day itself.

On the same day or on the wedding day, little children (preferably male) are invited to roll and jump on the bed to bless the couple with lots of children.

If installing a new bed is not practical, it is suggested that the bed has to be moved from its original position.

Taboos:
Avoid joining two single beds together.

The solitairebride take:
Items placed on bed includes
4 individual red packets filled with dried longans, dried red dates,lotus seeds and lily bulbs respectively
2 oranges
1 S$12 red packet

1 brand new bedsheet
Pair of bedside lamps

Me and my hubby did the bed installation together. :) The modern day's way!!! Its not that difficult and quite fun to boot.

My mum insisted that all the items put in the red packets to be done only by the male though. Beats me why this has to be so. Have fun ladies and gentlemen!

Chronology - Digio Bridal Boutique

[The chronology of events is simply acts as a reference to give brides a rough idea of the flow of events. Remember to always communicate with your bridal coordinator. No one will know what you desire until you voice them out.]

For me, i always like to sit on matters until i'm certain that this is what i really want prior to liase with my coordinator. Apparently i didn't give him any heart attacks with my change of mind (i did not do it very frequently though).

The entire process from the gowns making to actual day is almost a year long so its important to work with someone you think you can communicate with. Else it is more a dread than joy for the photoshoot and actual day.

11 Nov 2008 - Recce bridal boutiques and sign on the spot with Digio
25 January 2010 - Design wedding gown
29 March 2010 - First fitting of wedding gown
02 April 2010 - Suppose to make evening gown but end up trying evenings gowns
24 April 2010 - Meet up with designer to design evening gown
16 May 2010 - Choosing of photoshoot wedding gowns and OTR actual day wedding gown
04 June 2010 - First fitting for evening gown and choosing of evening gowns
12 June 2010 - Final fitting of all gowns and first time groom get to see his suits.
14 June 2010 - Photoshoot day
16 July 2010 - Selection of photos round 1
24 July 2010 - Selection of photos round 2
25 July 2010 - Selection of photos round 3 (final)
26 August 2010 - View layout
28 August 2010 - Finalise layout for album*
11 Sept 2010 - Trial make up (optional)
08 October 2010 - Collection of gowns and suits for actual day
09 October 2010 - Collection of flower corsages, bouquet, following car ribbons and decoration for wedding car
10 October 2010 - Sit and look pretty as you make up artist dolls you up

*There are still minor touch ups required. And the graphic artist promised to edit and get back to us. The final layouts are all finalised and confirmed by 11 September.

Mini album

I made this cute mini album using our photoshoot photos a while back as i was so into my holy matrimony then. All high and jazzed up.

Its so mini and definitely easy to lug around since its the size of a thumb. The quality of the finishing is good. And what i love about it, is the express service. I got it under 1.5 hrs with no surcharges. Whatever is free is good. And now when i want to reminisce about my wedding, i can whip it out from my handbag and browse. How convenient.

The Movie - Childhood montage

This is one of my "biggest" project for my wedding. The montages. I made 3 in all.

I pretty satisfied with the final outcome. In case, you are wondering. The montages were made using Imovie in Macbook. This little software makes things a lot more easier. All i need to do is choose the songs, input my photos and have a transition effects. And Yay its all done. (Well almost) There always a need of minor tweaking.

Though i prefer it to be more fanciful with more effects but well it beyond the capabilities of the software.

Here's my childhood montage which was played before march in.

Growing up (Childhood montage R) from val seah on Vimeo.

The second was played during dinner with the background music.


Behind the scenes from val seah on Vimeo.

And now where's the third? Let's keep it in suspense for a little while longer.

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Sick yet again

I think recently i've fallen sick on a regular basis. And all in a short span of 2 weeks apart from each other. I wonder if its because i tried to impede the process by taking loads of vitamins

Prior the wedding. I had the unfortunate encounter by having an eye stye. I never had one for my entire life. And just before the wedding it had to strike me. I was frantic. But i suppose it serves me right as i have used the contaminated eye lash product that i left unused for 1 month. All for the sake of looking my best on my day and it had the opposite effect. Fortunately i had 1.5 weeks before the actual day. And my doctor assured me that i will be well before. Alas few days down the road, i was down with flu. But it went away fast enough. Then before the honeymoon i was sniffing and coughing in office yet again. But it dissappeared miraculously enough.

And now days after i return from honeymoon, i was struck with sore throat, inflammation and high fever on Friday. Taking the panadol and anti-inflammatory tablets helped to bring down the fever but i was knocked out for the whole of Saturday. Now before the public holiday tomorrow, the sore throat is still there and i got cough and blocked nose.

I feel pretty wretched and frustrated at the moment....there is no place like my own home.

The Perfect Ten movie soundtrack

I had the most difficult time to get my first march in song. To be fair in the literal sense, me and my SO decide to choose a song each.

I chose: Aslyn - That's when i love you.

For the longest time, i thought i settled my choice of song until i realise how difficult and expensive it is to get the songs i wanted. Aslyn, i realise too late, is a small time artist in USA. Her album is NOT available in Singapore. And for copyright purposes, the songs must be original. OMG. Its 1 month to my wedding then.

I tried to make do with other songs. But i found that that "That's when i love you" is the most meaningful and ultimate love song.

Thanks to my great sis i finally got the album from another movie soundtrack from Japan - How to deal. Relieved.

Here's my first march in song that i really loved.



For the second march in, it came from my hotel's song list. Bryan Adams and Barbra Streisand - I Finally Found Someone.



The Background Music:
Joanna Wong's Let's start from here.
I loved this album for its compilation of very nice love songs. Its moving and the singer's voice is soulful. It created the perfect ambience for my wedding.

Disc 1 (English)
Let's Start From Here
Lost In Paradise
As Love Begins to Mend
Bada Bada
Lost Taipei
The Best Mistake I've Ever Made
I Love You
For No Reason
Stages of Flying
Now
True (Spandau Ballet)
New York State of Mind

Here's some of my favourite songs from her.

Buy Joanne Wong's album from AMAZON 
Things We Do for Love